Last week, 2 babies had to spend a few days in the hospital. One of them, baby C, was running fever as Lauren and Tin Tin began their night shift. It's not uncommon for the babies at Ruel to be sick, but around midnight it was clear that the medicine was not helping baby C, and this was more serious than an average fever. They went across the road to wake the Ruel supervisor, who decided baby C needed to go to the hospital.
Megan went with her to hold baby C, and ended up spending the night with him there (at this hospital an outside caregiver has to stay with the baby at all times). She didn't have time to get money, food, or the phone before she left Ruel, and the Calapan hospital was much different than anything in America. There wasn't much she could do for baby C. She had to depend on the Lord in a completely foreign, scary situation. But she came back to Ruel and shared with the team how He completely provided. Other caregivers in the hospital brought her food and bedding and encouraged her. Baby C's condition improved a lot over the next few days, and both babies were able to come home from the hospital.
The Ruel nannies all shared with me how they have been learning to rely on the Lord's power and not their own strength or knowledge. As the once-foreign rules of childcare become second nature, it's tempting to put your confidence in your own skills or knowledge. But in the past week, the nannies experienced emergency situations where they didn't have the answers. As in Megan's story, they had lean on the Lord for strength, wisdom, and healing. Being used by God isn't a matter of being smart or brave, but coming to Him empty and willing to be filled and poured out.
Life is fragile - especially life in the form of a sick, malnourished baby. Please PRAY for continued healing and strength for baby C and T, who were in the hospital, for baby S, and for baby L, who has congenital heart disease. Pray for wisdom for the doctors and caregivers at Ruel. Pray for Megan, Cat, and Lauren to put their trust in the Lord and depend on Him daily as they continue to work at Ruel.
Here I (Media Mary) am with baby L - she got very upset any time I tried to take a picture
of her by herself, so this is the best I could do. :)